There’s Another Silly QB Theory for Vikings Offseason
In all likelihood, the Minnesota Vikings will give the QB1 scepter to J.J. McCarthy in 2025 and let it ride.
There’s Another Silly QB Theory for Vikings Offseason
The club employed Sam Darnold in 2024, who produced a magnificent 16 games before crumbling in the season’s final two. Darnold is scheduled to hit free agency in six weeks, and unless Minnesota re-signs him for cheap, he’s free to join another NFL team.
But according to CBS Sports, McCarthy as the Vikings’ starter next fall isn’t a foregone conclusion, posting an article this week claiming that Minnesota could sign veteran Jimmy Garoppolo as a placeholder quarterback this offseason.
Cody Benjamin explained, “At 33, Garoppolo is older and less explosive than Sam Darnold, the Vikings’ 2024 starter. He’s also likely to come much cheaper, and he played on some big stages under general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah with the San Francisco 49ers. He could be another placeholder until young J.J. McCarthy is ready.”
While adding Garopplo is certainly an option — he just worked for the Los Angeles Rams, Kevin O’Connell’s former employer — letting Garoppolo take the reins of QB1 feels severely unlikely.
Why? Well, Minnesota already has Daniel Jones in its roster orbit, signing the cast-off quarterback in November when the New York Giants cut ties. If the Vikings wish to explore a “placeholder” or “bridge” quarterback, as they did last year with Darnold, Jones makes more sense than Garopplo, mainly because he’s already in the building.
Benjamin also predicted a new landing spot for Jones — those same Rams. Minnesota and Los Angeles would basically swap backup quarterbacks. “Matthew Stafford is the unquestioned starter if he returns, but he’s soon to be 37. It’s time Sean McVay gets a younger arm to develop, and he’s embraced reclamation projects before (i.e. Baker Mayfield),” Benjamin wrote.
Garoppolo was at the peak of his powers in 2019, coming within one hour of winning a Super Bowl over the then-upstart Kansas City Chiefs. But he faltered down the stretch of that championship moment and is now a backup passer in Los Angeles after a failed starter’s stint with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023.
Minnesota’s 2025 quarterback plan will take shape in six weeks when free agency kicks off and Darnold either re-signs or departs to a new team. Darnold is expected to cash in on his 36-touchdown season — somewhere — though it’s unlikely that Minnesota would hand him $40+ million per season, which he can probably obtain on the open market.
Benjamin also forecasted Darnold to the Jets in free agency, the franchise that drafted him six years ago.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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